Nation

Couple held over boy's death

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have detained a taxi driver and his wife following the death of the woman’s six-year-old son, who is believed to have been abused.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Adnan Abdullah said the 35-year-old man, who is the stepfather of the boy, was arrested together with his wife at 5.30pm on Monday at their home in Pangsapuri Permai Ria in Ampang near here.

SAC Adnan added that the boy was sent to Ampang Hospital after the stepfather was informed by his 31-year-old wife that he was unconscious at about 1pm on Monday.

Doctors at the hospital confirmed that he was dead, SAC Adnan said, adding that there were bruises on the child’s body, hands and legs.

The body was later sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem.

The couple has been remanded for a week to help in investigations.

It is learnt that the boy had 33.5% severe burns on his face and body believed to be caused by boiling water.

When met at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, the distraught real father said he was still in a state of shock.

The biological father said that he and his ex-wife were divorced in 2009 and he had not seen his son since.

He added that he was not aware that his ex-wife had remarried.

He said that he was informed by his ex-wife about the death at about 3pm on Monday.